Threading device



July '7, 1936; Z- 2,046,991 THREADING V-IDEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1955 AINVENTOR d 7 we T/M6 W ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1936 v attain PATENT.orricr 2,046,991 ,THREADING DEVICE Ludwig Zeller,

Thiensville, Wis.

" Application August-2, 1935, Serial No. 34,330

8 Claims.

This invention relates to pipe threading apparatus and particularly to adevice which is selfcontained and'readily transportable. I An object ofthe invention is to provide a pipe threading mechanism which is readilymanually operable, even for relatively large pipe diameters, andtherefore adapted for use in locations where power is not available torthe threading operation.

Another object is to provide an improved manually operable andself-contained pipe threading device having certain automatic andcontrol features greatly improving the convenience, accuracy andcertainty of operation of the device.

Another object is-to provide improved threading means in which thethreading tool is positively fed forward at a rate corresponding to thepitch of the threads to be cut and simultaneously rotated and in a formadapted for manual operation and to be used in a self-contained andeasily transportable unit.

Another object is to provide improved means for the simultaneous forwardand rotational movement while providing for reverse movement atrelatively rapid rate without the rotation of the threading tool, and ina self-contained transportable and manually operable unit.

Another object is, to provide a self-:opening threading die of improvedform and particularly adapted for use in a structure for one or more ofthe objects previously mentioned. I

A further object is generally to simplify and improve the constructionand operation of thread cutting machines and particularly of machinesadapted for manual operation and unitarily transportable. I

The invention consists in construction and combination of parts asherein illustrated, described and claimed and in such modifications ofthe structure illustrated and described as may be equivalent to thestructure of the claims.

In the specification like reference characters denote the same partsthroughout and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device incor- "porating'theinvention, partly in section along the axis of a threading tool spindleincorporated therein.

Figure 2 is a partial elevation of the same device viewed from theline'Z-Z of Fig. 1 and enlarged.

Figure 3 is a sectional development taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a partial section taken approximately along the line 4-4 ofFig. 2.

Figure 5 is a partial section taken along line 5--5 of Fig. 1, inreduced scale.

The device includes a' base I having slotted cars such as 2 adapted toreceive holding .bolts such as 3 by the means of which the unit may beattached to any convenient support such as for instance a bench. Fixedon base I is a pipe support generally denoted by the numeral 4, for apipe 5 which is to be threaded. Support 4 includes a threaded bore 4a,adapted to interchangeably receive bushings such as lb, respectivelyhaving different diametered bores to receive difierent sizes of pipe,the bushings 4b having a flange ie, for purposes later described, andbeing threaded to engage the bore 4a to provide for axial adjustment asthe bushing is rotated. Support 4 provides pipe clamp means, consistingof a screw 6 which may be operated by a suitable wrench, not shown, thesupport being slotted as at Sat, and the'bushings 4b also being slottedto permit the contraction of the bores to clamp the pipe.

A die head generally denoted by the numeral I is carried by a spindle 8rotatably mounted in a support generally denoted by the numeral 9 fixedon base I and providing spindle bearings in axial alignment with thepipe 5. Spindle B is slidably keyed in the bore of a worm wheel II]which is prevented from axial movement by the bearing faces II and I2.

A worm I3 fixed on a shaft I4 engages worm wheel I0, and is supportedfrom bearings I31; and I322, fixed on base I, which restrain the wormagainst axial movement. Worm I3 may be manually rotated by the means ofa crank, not shown, applied to the squared end portion I5 of the wormshaft.

p The rear end of the spindle 8 engages a threaded portion I6 of amember i! carried on a bearing or support I8 fixed on base I, the memberI! being restrained against axial movement by an enlarged portion I9 anda collar i9a, removably fixed on the member by a pin I912. The enlargedportion I9 of the member I1 is provided with one or more notches such as20. A manually operable latch 2 I pivoted at 22 may be moved to the oneposition to engage notch 29, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby locking memberIlagainst rota- 1 tion, or may be swung about pivot 22 to anotherposition disengaged from the slot .25 to permit rotation of the member,which may be effected by applying a suitable crank, not shown, to asquared end 23 of the member.

The die head 1 includes a body portion 24 fixed on the spindle by themeans of screws such as 24a, Fig. 1, there being a suitable spindleflange 24b, Fig. 3 engaging a complementary bore in the body 24 forco-axially aligning the spindle and body. The body 24 provides aplurality of slots such as 25 in which die blades or chasers 26 areradially movable and restrained against axial movement by a plate 2'!fixed on the body 24 by themeans of screws such as 28, theblades 26slidably engaging the plate 21 on the one hand and the bottom of slots25 on the other hand.

and 33, the adjacent ends of the members.., 3l providing a continuationof the slots as at 34, and also providing, for each of the chasers26, atongue such as 35 engaging a tongue slot such as 36 in the chaser, thetongues 35 and slots 36' being disposed at an angle, as-indicatedin Fig,

4, corresponding to the cone angle of the bore 29. As a result of thearrangement just described 5 a movement of the member axially of thebody 24 will simultaneously equally move, each of the chasers 36inwardly or outwardly radially, while at any point in the movement thechasers will be rigidly held against either radial or axial movement.

Another member, 31, also mountedon the periphery of the body 24; foraxial movement relative thereto, is connected for unitary axial movementwith the member 30 by the means of a threaded nut 38, the threadedportions on the members 30 and 31 being respectively of opposite pitchwhereby a rotation of the nut 38, adjusts the one member. relative tothe other, the nut being lockablewiththe respective members by the meansof screws such as 39 and 40.

The members 30 and 31 are unitarily urged to the left in Figs. 1 and 3by the means of springs. such as 4| abutting in one direction againstthebottom of the bores 42 and in-the other direction against pins 43' whichare fixed in the member 31. Unless. prevented the springs 4| will urgethe members 39 and 31 to the left until the left hand end of the member31 strikes a shoulder portion 44 onspindle 8. The,;.men bers 30 and 31may, however, be; manually shifted to the right in Figs. 1 and 3 until aspring pressed plunger 45 engages the bore 46-of a bushing-4,1 fixedinYthe body 24, and when this occursv-the engagement of the plungerinthebore holds the member 31 in a predetermined position,- determined by theplunger engagement,

When the plunger 45 isengagedin thebore 46 as described the threadingdevice'is -ready for operation. Assuming that the pipe ,5 has beensuitably clamped in the holder 4, and that the latch 2| has been movedinto engagement with the slot 20, thenmanual rotation lofuthe worm shaftl5 .will simultaneously rotate the die head 1 in a cutting direction andadvance the die head to the right in Fig. 1 at a rate corresponding tothe pitch of ,the threads to becut, and determined by the pitch of thethreaded portion iii of the member. H. Thislsimultaneous rotation andaxial movement. is continued until the die head 1 has advanced.sufiiciently far to the, right to cut the desired-thread on the end ofthe pipe. Ordinarily the thread. to. be, cut is. of tapered form, asshown inFigV 1.

Variousdifferently threaded. spindles 8; and members l'l may beinterchangeably usedto provide, for pipe, threads of different pitch andyarious sets ofrchasers such as 26 may be used for cutting threads ondifferent diameters of pipe, thev chaser sets being interchangeableinthe, die head 1 merely by removing the plate 21', when the chasers maybe readily withdrawn andreplaced.

Whenthe die head has beenadvancedaxially, as described, a sufficientdistance to produce the desired thread on the pipe 5, the chasers 36 areautomatically withdrawn radially from contact with the threaded portionsof the pipe. This is effected by the following means: A ring or plate48,is ,supportedpn a plurality of plungers 49 which are r/guided in thebody 24 and. normally urged to the right in Fig. 3 by the means ofsprings 50. Plungers 49 operate against radially movable plungers 5|which are urged outwardly as the plungers 49 move to the left in Fig. 3,and aftensuff cient of such left hand movement the plungers 45 aredisengaged from the bores 46 d l the springsJt then immediately urge themembers 30 and 31 to the left, thereby moving each of the chasers 26outwardly. The movement of the,-plungers.,49;;to bring thiszabout iseffected bythe contact of,the, plate or ring 48 with the flange, 4c onthe bushing 4b; from which it, will be seen that at a predeterminedpoint, corresponding, to the point at which the pipe is threadedto thedesired extent the chasers 25 will begexpanded clearing the gthreads onthe pipe to permit withdrawal of the die. head'L;

The die head I and spindle 8 is then withdrawn inthe, followingmanner.The latch'2 I is manually;mo ved to disengage from the slot 20, a crankis appliedto thensquared end.- 23 ;-as. previously mentioned,-andthe-men ber I'l is rotated. Spindle 8:;is -,preven' edfrom rotationwhen member l'lg'is rotated by theself-locking engagement oil the wormwheel- I fl-withits worm, and the spindle and diehead 1 are nonrotatably movedaxially toi the, left to the startingpositionat arelatively very rapid rate since the rates v between the crankandspindle does. not involve thereduction effected by the worm and wheel,this reduction being necessarydqthe .forwardmovement in orderto permitthe manual,.-,operation of the threading die-i Atthe end of the lefthandmovementthelatch 2| is again moved to engage notch 20.,=the members!and 31. are manually shifted to the right until plungeri45 again engagesthe bore 46*; and the device is then-ready for another threadingoperation.

If the size of the thread cut bythe chasers 26 on the pipe- 5; asdetermined by the point at which the chasers are opened by plate' 48,;isslightly too large or too small in diameter, the

desired; correction in thread diameter may be.

cluding aprimary manually operable element,

means supported from said base for axially nonrotatably -moyingsaidthreading tool in the other direction including a second primarymanually operable element, a pluralityof motion transmitting trainscarried by'said base and respectively connecting the different elementsfor the different movements recited, the, .train for-said otherdirectionbeing adapted for relativelyfast axial movement,, andmeans,carried-by said base, .for rendering-said mean for axiallvmovingi thethreading tool in the other direction operative or inoperative.

2. In a threading device of the nature disclosed the combination of abase, a pipe clamping means supported from said base, a threading toolrotatably supported from said base adjacent said clamping means andaxially movable, means supported from said base for simultaneouslyrotating and axially advancing said threading tool in the direction ofsaid clamping means including a primary manually operable element, meanssupported from said base for non-rotatably axially moving said threadingtool in the other direction including a second primary manually operableelement, said means including a screw and nut element and a plurality ofmotion transmitting trains carried by said base and respectivelyconnecting the different manually operable elements through said screwand nut element for the different axial movements recited, the train forsaid second manually operable element being adapted for relatively fastaxial movement of said threading tool, and means carried by said baseand shiftable to alternative positions respectively locking andunlocking rotation of one of said screw and nut elements.

3. In a pipe threading device the combination of a pipe clamping means,a threading means rotatably supported adjacent said clamping means andaxially movable, means for simultaneously rotating and axially advancingsaid threading means in the direction of said clamping means including aprimary manually operable element, means for axially moving saidthreading means in the other direction including a second primarymanually operable element, said elements being connected for saidmovements by different motion transmitting trains and said connectionfor said second element being adapted for relatively fast axial movementof said threading means, means locking said threading means againstrotation during axial movement in said other direction and meansadjustable for locking said second element against operation.

4. In a pipe threading device the combination of pipe clamping means, arotatable spindle supported for axial movement toward and from saidclamp means and co-axial with a pipe clamped therein, a tool head fixedwith said spindle adjacent said clamp means, a manually operable screwthread device directly operative on said spindle for axial non-rotatablemovement thereof in a direction away from said clamp means, and amanually operable device for simultaneous rotation and axial movement ofsaid spindle in the other direction including gearing for a materialreduction in the relative rate of both axial and rotary movementtherefrom, said gearing being of a form and ratio to lock said spindleagainst rotation during axial movement from the first mentioned manualdevice.

5. In a pipe threading device the combination of pipe clamp means, aspindle rotatably supported in axial alignment with a pipe held in saidclamp means and axially movable toward and from said clamp means, athreading tool fixed on said spindle adjacent said clamp means, a memberrotatably journaled co -axially with said spindle adjacent the endopposite said threading tool, said member being fixed against axialmovement and threadedly engaging said spindle, a locking deviceshiftable between alternative positions respectively disengaged fromsaid member to permit rotation thereof and engaging said member toprevent rotation thereof, a worm wheel mounted on said spindle to permitrelative axial movement therebetween, a worm engaging said worm wheel, ashaft for said worm, and a plurality of primary manually movableelements respectively fixed with said member and with said shaft.

6. In a pipe threading device the combination of pipe clamp means, aspindle rotatably supported in axial alignment with a pipe held in saidclamp means, and axially movable toward and from said clamp means, athreading tool fixed on said spindle adjacent said clamp means, a memberrotatably journaled co-axially with said spindle adjacent the endopposite said threading tool, said member being fixed against axialmovement and threadedly engaging said spindle, a locking deviceshiftable between alternative positions respectively disengaged fromsaid member to permit rotation thereof and engaging said member toprevent rotation thereof, a worm wheel mounted on said spindle to permitrelative axial movement therebetween, a worm engaging said worm wheel, ashaft for said worm, a plurality of primary manually movable elementsrespectively fixed with said member and with said shaft, a baseunitarily supporting said device and means associated with said base forremovably unitarily attaching said device to a support.

'7. In a threading device the combination of a base, a rotatable andaxially movable spindle carried by said base, a threading tooleo-axially fixed at one end of said spindle for rotation and axialmovement therewith, engaged screw and nut elements co-axial with saidspindle, one of said elements being fixed with said spindle for rotationand axial movement therewith and the other element being rotatablycarried by said base, means carried by said base and manually shiftablefor engaging said other element to prevent rotation thereof andalternatively shiftable to disengage from said element to permit elementrotation, a first manually operable train for forward cutting operationof said spindle when said shiftable means is in engaged position andincluding a primary manually rotatable shaft, a worm fixed against axialmovement and a worm wheel fixed against axial movement and slidablysplined with said spindle, a second manually operable train including aprimary manually operable member connected for rotation of said otherelement when said shiftable means is in disengaged position.

8. In a threading device of the nature disclosed the combination of abase, pipe clamping means fixed with said base, a rotatable spindlecarried by said base and guided for bodily movement in axial alignmentwith a pipe fixed in said clamping means, a threading tool carried bysaid spindle adjacent said clamping means, means carried by said basefor manually rotating said spindle, means carried by said base andoperative simultaneously with the spindle rotation to advance saidspindle and threading tool in the direction of said clamping means,means carried by said base for rendering said simultaneously operativemeans ineiiective, means carried by said base for manually non-rotatablyaxially moving said spindle and threading tool in the other directionwhile said simultaneous means is ineffective and means carried by saidbase for unitarily removably attaching said device to a support.

LUDWIG ZELLER.

